Power-transmitting mechanism



N. C. STOREY. POWER TRANSMITHNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, I9I8.

WITNESS.-

N. 1ST-03H.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM. A PPLlcATloN FILED SEPT. 21. 191s.

1,401,204, 'Patented Demzfi', 1921,.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESS' 1 N VEN TOR.

Mx/pw fww A TTORNE Y.

N. C. STOREY.

POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man SEU. 27, 191s.

1,401,204, Patented Dec. 27, 192.1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESS INVENToR.

BY i

` ATTORNEY.

,UNITED stares PATENT orricr..

POWER-TRANSMITTING MECIANISM.

Specicaton of Letters Patent;

:Patented nee. at, i921.

Application filed September 27, 1918. Serial No. 255,895.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, NORMAN' C. STOREY, a citizen 0f the United States, residing in Aguirre, Porto Rico, West Indies, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Transmitting Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to a power-transL mitting mechanism and it has for its object an improvement in a device ofthis character.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a-power-transmitting mecha. nism in which the power is transmitted from a driving member to driven members through connections by which the ratioof speed of the driven members to thato'f the driving member may be independently changed. l Y

Another object of my invention is the provision of a simple and compact construe# tion by which `power may be transmitted from a driving member to a driven member, with means for varying the ratio of the speed of the driving member to that of the drivenmember.

Other objects of my invention will ap'- pear in the specification and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will best be understoodV by reference to the accompanying drawings in which F igureV 1 is a vertical sectional view through a power-transmitting mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 3-3 ofyFig. 1 and showing more particularly the brake mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 is' a casing or housing within which the mechanism embodying my invention is inclosed. and is here shown as comprising two parts 10a and 10b, which may be secured together byA suitable bolts 11 passing through flanges 10c and 10l formed on the parts 10a and 10", respectively. The driving member 12, which is here shown asa shaft having its bearings in lugs 12%1 formed on the upper side of the casing 10, is connected to any suitable source of power. A worm gear 13 is secured to the shaft 12 within the housing and engages a gear wheel 14:, which is secured to or made integral with a shaft v15, the latter extending through the casing in which the mechanism is inclosed. The shaft 15 is surrounded by a 'hollow shaft or sleeve 16, which has its bearings in a Ahub 17, which is here shown as integral with the casing 10, a suitablebushing 17a being interposed between the sleeve 16 and the hub. Similar sleeves 16 surround the shaft 15 at the right and at the left of the gear wheel 14C, and while I shall describe the parts at one side of the gear wheel 14 only,` it is tobe understood that corresponding parts are to be'found on the `other side of the gear wheel7 the two sets of parts being `the same with the exception that the threads onv one side 'are right handed while those on the other side are left handed. A driven member, which is herev shown asa gear wheel 18, is secured 0n the sleeve 16 by means of a key or any other suitable securing means.

The connections for transmitting power` from thedriving gear 14 to the driven gear 18 comprise a self-lockingworm 19, secured on a shaft 20, which is mounted in suitable brackets 21 secured to'v or made integral with the face of the gear wheel 14. AThe worm 19 engages a worm gear22, which is secured to or madeintegral with the sleeve 16. The pitch of theworm wheelj19 is such as to give to the same' a self-locking engagement with' the worm Agear 22,-, so that under normal conditions the worm gear 22 rotates at the same-speed as` ldoes the gear wheel 14. '1 v A bevel gear 23 is secured'tothe end of the shaft 2O withoutl one ofthe brackets .21, as best shown at the leftcfFigll. `Tite gear 23 engages a bevel gear V24,' which is secured to a shaft 25, the latter being mounted in a bracket 26, which is preferably in the form of a yoke, kand 'which is secured to the face of the "gearwheel 14C by any suitable means, such as screws Y27. Apinion 28 is secured on the' opposite end `of the shaft 25 and engages agear wheel 29 loosely mounted on the sleeve 16 adjacent to the hubv portion 17 and within the casing; A flanged rim 80 is secured to one side or made integral with the gear whe`el-29. This flange is engaged by a friction band 31, the ends of which are secured totwo prongs 32a and 32b of a shaft 132, ywhich hasI its bearing in a hub 33,`theflatter preferably being integral with the'fcasing. The shaft 32 is operated by a suitable levert.

The operation of my device will'readily be understood from the foregoing description and is asfollows:

Under normal conditions the Vworm 19- is locked with theV worin gear 22,v so thatv the latter rotates with the worm 19 and has the 4same speed of rotation as that of the worm gear 14. Now, if it is desired to change the `ratio of the speed ofthe driven member 18 to that off-the', driving gear 14, the friction band is caused to engage the friction rim 30 on the gear` wheel 29 in the described maiinerand stopsgthe rotation thereof. The pinion 28, VwhichV normally rotates the gear29 on the sleeve 16, is now forced to rotate'on its own axis and through the bevel gears 2e andg23, sets u a rotation of the wormy 19, thereby designing the gearing.

Vso

c anging the ratio of thek speed of the gear 18 to that of thef'gear 14. In practice I prefer to reduce thespeed of the gearAA 18 by this meansthough it will Abe readily understoodV that the speed thereof may be increased, orthat the rotation thereof Vmay be stopped, or that it may be ycaused to rotate in the opposite-.direction by suitably It will be seen thatIhave providedinde pendently operatedmeans for varying theV speed of each of the ydriven members 18. `The speed of one ofthe driven `members 18 can accordingly be changed'while the speed of the other driven member 16 re-j mains normal, or theV speed of both members Vmay be simultaneously changed'.

. It is to be understood that I do not limitV my. invention to the precise form .herein described and illustrated.. For example, while I have shown two self-locking gear wheels 'on either side of 'thedrivinggearllh a single self-locking wormwheel could. be used, or, infact, any number couldbe used, though I- prefer the two self-lockingworm wheels, as this arrangement gives the saineV a balanced effect. Furthermore, I have shown a single pinion. 28v engaging th'egear wheel V29. It will be understood, however, that a pluralityof these pinions and gears may beused in orderifurther to vary the speed ratio of the driven memberwto'that twomembersl driven independently by Said driving member through positive connections comprising self-locking worms and ratios of the ydriven member-'sto the driving driving member throughV positive connections comprising self-locking worms =and gears, powerfoperated meansfor positively rotating either pair Vof selfloclring worms and gears and thereby changing the speed ratio between said driving` member and the given ,driven member, and' manuallyoper ated meansv forcontrolling said poweroperated means.

4. In combination, Va driving member, and two -members driven independently by said.clriving member through positive connections, comprising self-locking Y worm gears, and means for rotating said worm gears and thereby changing the speed ratios of said driven members to said driving member. Y f Y 1 5. In combination, a driving member, and two members driven independently by said Vdriving member through connectionsV comprising Vself-locking worin. gears and independent means for rotating said worm gears and thereby independentlyV changing the speedratios ofthe driven members tothe driving member. Y

6. In combination, a driving gear, two members driven thereby through. connections comprising self-locking worm gears, one element of each of which Arotates with the driving membeig and .independent means for rotating said"worm gears `andl thereby Vindependently changingVV the `speed member; Y'

7. InV combinatioin, a driving gear, two members driven thereby through connections comprising self-locking worin gears secured to either face-:of said driving gear, and independentmeans forrotating said worm gears about their `own axes and thereby changing the speed -ratio of said Adriven members to said driving member, A

8. A power transmitting mechanism comprising adriving gear and a shaft secured thereto, members driven bysaid `gear wheel comprising sleeves lsurrounding said shaft on'either side of said gear, the driving con nections comprising self-locking worm 12o gears secured toeitlier vface of the driving gear, and independent Vmeans for rotating said worm gearsV about ytheir axes, whereby the speed ratiosbetweenthe drivenmembers and the drivingfinember areindepen- Y Y YY-dentlyvaried.- 'i `2. In Vicombination, a driving lmember,

9. In a power Vtransmitting mechanism, .a driving gear and shaft secured thereto, a sleeve surrounding said shaft driven by said gear, a gear-wheel loosely mounted on said sleeve, the driving connections between the driving gear and the sleeve comprising a self-locking Worm gear, a pinion operatively connected to said Worm gear and engaging the gear Wheel surrounding the sleeve, and means associated with the latter gear for preventing rotation thereof Whereby the Worm gear is rotated about its own axis.

10. In a power transmitting mechanism, a driving gear and shaft secured thereto, a sleeve surrounding said shaft driven by said gear, a gear Wheel loosely mounted on said sleeve, the driving connections between the driving gear and the sleeve comprising a self-locking Worm gear, a pinion operatively connected to said Worm gear and engaging the gear Wheel surrounding the sleeve, and means comprising a friction hand for preventing rotaton of Said latter gear.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of tvvo subscribing Witnesses.

NORMAN C. STORE'Y.

Witnesses:

DANN L. Woon, JOHN T. CLARK. 

